Astros notes: Wade not upset by Berkman's remarks

BERNARDO FALLAS, Copyright 2010 Houston Chronicle |
May 7, 2010

Remarks don't upset Wade

Astros general manager Ed Wade had no issue with Lance Berkman's comments regarding his openness to a trade and the direction the club could take were he in charge.

On Wednesday, Berkman told Chronicle columnist Jerome Solomon that were he the GM and the team was still struggling come the All-Star Break, he would consider trading every possible veteran, including himself and/or teammates Roy Oswalt and Carlos Lee, in an effort to restock the club.

“Players have the right to make comments and express their opinions,” Wade said. “Our goal, and I'm sure his goal is the same as everybody else's goal, is to be in a position that we don't have to make those types of decisions or consider making those decisions in June or July.”

Berkman, who is in the final season of a six-year, $85-million contract that comes with a $15-million club option for 2011, phoned Wade on Wednesday night to fill him in on the comments ahead of publication.

“I'm not trying to play GM,” said Berkman, who reiterated his desire to finish his career as an Astro. “I wanted him to know that I'm not trying to force anybody's hand or communicate anything through the media. It was a hypothetical conversation (the comments), but I'm not going to back away from what I said because I still feel that way.”

He said it

“I appreciate Lance's comments if he were the general manager; if I were the first baseman, I might want to be hitting .350 right now.” — Astros general manager Ed Wade, (with tongue-in-cheek) on Lance Berkman's comments regarding moves Berkman would consider making were he in charge.

Attendance watch

• Thursday: 21,019

• 2010 season (through 19 home games): 487,126

• 2009 season (through 19 home games): 558,292.

• Behind: 71,166

• 2010 average: 25,638

• 2009 average: 29,384

Coming up

Bud Norris (1-3, 7.25 ERA) goes up against fellow righthander Mat Latos (1-3, 5.47) to open a three-game series against the Padres.